Quoting Bill Watson <wwatson5@xxxxxxxxx>: > > And it's a true hemi-head six, with dual rocker shafts and hemispherical > combustion chambers. The engine was actually built by Armstrong-Siddeley, > being based on the A-S Sapphire engine. The British press was very > hush-hush about the A-S connection at the time.. > > Bill > Vancouver, BC There is nothing unique to the "hemi" of Chrysler, other than Chrysler invented the shortened name from "hemispherical" to "hemi". Virtually all US made (and probably internationally) radial aircraft engines with two valve per cylinder were "hemis" (the exception was German 3 valve per cylinder and British 4 valve per cylinder or Sleeve Valve radials). Most modern flat four or six light aircraft engines are also "hemi". In the automotive world, Jaguar's XK engine built from the late fourties at least until the seventies was a hemi, as well as several Alfa Romeo engines (both of which were superior in specific performance due to being dual overhead cam). I am sure I am leaving many others out. Anyway, there is nothing unique to the "hemi" with Chrysler, other than its the only push-rod V-8 being a hemi. Ironically, the modern Chrysler "hemi" is a whole lot less of a hemi than all the above examples. May be the "ford 500" has a real hemi in it! D^2 ----------------- http://www.imperialclub.com ----------------- This message was sent to you by the Imperial Mailing List. Please reply to mailing-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and your response will be shared with everyone. Private messages (and attachments) for the Administrators should be sent to webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To UN-SUBSCRIBE, go to http://imperialclub.com/unsubscribe.htm